Method of and machine for producing gears



March 17, 1931. M. H. .loHANsoN METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR PRODUCING GEARS Filed March 8. 1928 Patented Mar. 17, 1931 unirse STA.

rss PATENT OFFICE i MAGNUS H. JOHANSON, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK,I ASSIGNOR T GLASON WORKS, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR PRODUCING GrEAIR/S'v Application: led March S,

The present invention relates to gear cutting and particularly to a method and machine for producing longitudinally curved tooth gears. n

The primary purpose of this invention is to provide a, two-tool reciprocating type curved tooth gear cutting machine in, Which thev toolsarev moved clear of the blank on their idlev return stroke Without requiring a commi plicated clapping mechanism.

A furtherobject ofthis invention is to provide amachine for cutting longitudinally curved toot-h gears in which the tools may be simnzltaneously adjusted to cut the opposite mi si'devtoothf f'acesrof the blank successively from different centers.

OtherV` objects of the invention will be apparent hereinafter from the speciication and from the appended claims.

211 The present inventionl isy capableV ofv being practiced in vari-ous Waysl and by means of variousconstructions. For'the purpose of il'- lustration, tiva possible embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying 2a, drawings and described hereinafter. It will be understoochhowever, that While particular embodiments of thel invention, relating both to `method and machine, may be described, the invention isY capable of further modification 3g Within its scopei and the. limits of the appended? claims.

In the drawings:

of a: gear cuttingmachine constructed according tof this invention;

Figure 2' is an: enlarged section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 Figure 3 is a diagram of the tool drive; Figure 45 is a diagrammatic View illustrat- 40 illustrated in Figures 1, 2* and 3;

Figure' 5 is a front elevation of a machine constructed according to a further embodiment of this invention ;.l and Figuref is a diagrammatic View illustrating the method' of. operation of this latter embodiment. y

According-to; ther present invention, an oscillating motion is imparted tothe toolsl and. at the end of each stroke, the tools are shifted ing the method" of operation of the machine 192s. semi No. zaeaz.

tools for cutting the opposite side tooth sur-l 5g faces of? the/blank are so arranged'relatively to each other that when one tool is moved by this shiftingmotion into cutting position for cutting one tooth face ofthe blank the other tool' is moved clear of the oppositesidetooth face of the blank. p

Referring now to the drawings by numer; als ofl reference. indicates the base or frame of a gearv cutting machine constructed according to this inventionv and? providedwith circular Ways Within Which is rotatably mountedl a. cradle or toolcarrier 1.1.l Mounted on` the cradle 11 for adjustment thereon is a plate 12' which may be secured in any ad-` justed position by means of the T-bolts 13 which, engage in T-slots 14 formed in the face of the cradle. The plate 12 is provided with guide-Ways 15 in which moves a reciprocable slide 16.

The slide 16-ifs provided With a bearing for' the stud 18` of anvoscillatabl'e tool arm 19 Which is thus journaled on said slide 16. Figure 1 isa front elevation'of thev tool end The tool arm 19 carries a pair of cutting tools 20 and21 which are so sharpened asto cut, respectively, opposite side tooth faces of a gear blank. These tools are secured to the arm 19 by means of the bolts 22; Shims 28 are provided for varying the radial distances of the cutting edges ofthese-tools from the axis ofthe stud 18 on Which the arm 19 swings. Thesesh-ims 23serve also to adjust the cutting blades to take up `for Wear.

Journaled in the cradle 11l is a shaft 25 (Fig. 8) to which is. secured a crank disc 26. This crank disc is connected' by the'pin 27, connecting rod 28 and screw 29 with the tool arm 19. Through this mechanism, an oscillating motion is imparted to the arm 19 movingthe tools back and `forth across the face ofthe blank; The crank is drivencc'm-A tinuouslywhile the machine is in operation.

Secured to the rear of the slide 16 is a disc which carries a roller 31 that engages in a groove 32 of a cam 33. This cam is journaled in a suitable bearing formed integral with the plate 12.

The cam is given a rotary movement in-` termittently through half a revolution to shift the slide 16 back and forth in the guide ways 15 to move the tools 20 and 21 alternately into cutting position and to clear these tools alternately from the opposite side Jfaces of the blank which they are adapted, respectively, to cut. A layout of the cam groove 32 in its two positions is shown in full lines and in dotted lines at 32 and 32, respectiva ly in Figure 4. The cam 33 is rotated intermittently from the shaft 25 through the mechanism illustrated more particularly in Figure 3. This includes a bevel gear 35 keyed to the shaft 25 which meshes with a bevel pinion 36 mounted on the splined shaft 37. This splined shaft carries, also, the driving member 38 of an intermittent mechanism, the driven member 39 of which is secured to a shaft 40 which is also splined and carries a bevel gear 41 that meshes with and drives the bevel pinion 42 which is keyed to the shaft of the cam 33.

The shaft 25 may be driven from any suitable source of power. The gearing between the shaft 25 and the cam 33 is so coordinated that the cam 33 is given an intermittent move-- ment of half a revolution at either end of the stroke of the oscillating arm 19.

The operation of the mechanism so tar described will be clear from Figure 4. In the mechanism of Figures 1 and 2, the tools 2O and 21 are arranged, respectively, to cut on movement of the arm 19 in opposite directions so that one tool cuts while the arm is moving in one direction and the other tool cuts while the arm is moving in the opposite direction. Thereby any loss of cutting time is avoided. G indicates a portion of a gear blank being cut upon the machine. Two teeth 45 and 46 are shown. In the arrangement of the diagram the tools 2O and 21 are spaced apart radially a distance less than the width of the groove between adjacent teeth of the gear. The tools 2() and 21 are shown in full lines in Fig. 4 in the position they have when the arm 19 is moving in the direction of the arrow 48 and the tool 20 operating upon the side tooth surface 49 of a tooth 45. lVhile the tool 20 is cutting, the cam groove has the position 32 and the cam roller the position 31. The tooth side 49 is thus cut along a circular arc curved about the center 50.

At the end of the stroke of the arm 19 in the direction of the arrow 46, the intermittent mechanism acts to rotate the cam 33 through half a revolution to move the cam path to the position 32 shifting the slide 16 to its lower position, moving the tool 2O clear of the tooth sideA 49 and bringing the tool 21 into position to cut the side 52 of the tooth 46 on oscillation of the arm 19 in the opposite direction. The tooth side 52 is then cut along a circular arc 55 spaced 'from the center 50 about which the opposite tooth sides 49 of the teeth are cut. The intermittent mechanism locks the slide 16 against movement during either cutting stroke, though it desired an additional auxiliary locking means ot any suitable nature may be provided.

fit the end of the movement oi? the arm 19 in the direction of the arrow 53, the intermittent mechanism again rotates the cam 33 through halt a revolution bringing the cam groove back to the full line position 32 moving the tool 21 clear ot the tooth side 52 and bringing the tool :26 into position where on the return stroke ot the arm 19 in the direction of the arrow 48, this tool 2() will again cut upon the tooth surface 49.

Aafter a pair oi" side tooth surfaces of the blank have been completed by cutting in the manner described, the blank will be indexed and the next pair ot too'th surfaces cut, the operation proceeding until the blank is completed.

The tools can beadj usted to cut gears of any desired. spiral angle by adjusting the cradle 11 on its axis and the plate 12 laterally on the cradle. This last adjustment may be effected by the screw 56. To keep the centers 50 and about which the tools swing on the same circle 53 which is circumscribed about the apex 59 of the crown gear as a center the plate 12 may be provided, as shown, with arcuate slots 66 curved about the axis oi the stud 18 as a center. Ahe bolts 13 can be passed through the slots 60 to secure the plate 12 in any position or" its angular and lateral adjustment with reference to the cradle 11.

Anc-ther embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. Here the tool arm 62 is mounted upon an eccentric 63 which is journaled in the plate 64. The plate 64 is adjustable on the cradle 11 by means oi the screw 65 and may be secured in any adjusted position by means of the bolts 66. rlhe tool arm 62 is oscillated by means oi a crank 63 and a connecting rod 69. The crank 63 rotates continuously while the machine is in operation.

The eccentric 63 is intermittently rotated to bring the tools and 71 alternately into cutting position and to clear these tools alternately from the tooth sides which they cut. In this embodiment of my invention, the tools 70 and 71 are spaced apart circumferentially a distance equal at least to the width ot face to the gear 72 to be cut, and in this case the tools cut while moving in the same direction.

The operation et this embodiment of my invention is illustrated in Figure 6. The full line positions of the tools 70 and 71 indil the eccentric 63 is rotated half a. revolution tobrin'v it into the lower' dotted line position 63. rlhis shifts the tools l70 and 71 and brings the tool 71 into'l cutting position where on the continued' movement of the ar'm 62 in' the direction of the arrow 7 3, the tooth sidel 7 6l will be cut. The relative positions of the tools and71 during tliefcutting of the tooth side-76 are indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6'. It will be seen that the tooth side 76 is cut about a Center 77 different from theA center 7 5, both centers lying, however, on thesame` circle 78 circumscribed about theA crown gear center7 9 asa center. g

At the completion of the stroke of the arm 62: in the direction of the arrow73, the eccentric'` 63 is again rotated through half a revolution to shift the tool arm 62 upwardly bringing the tools back to the position where they again move about the center 7:5. YThus the tool 71 is moved clear of the side 76 and as the arm 62 moves on its return stroke in the direction opposite to the arrow 73, the tool 71 clears theblank. ,After the tool 71 has moved across the face of the blank, the intermittent mechanism again comes into operation and rotate's the eccentric 63 through another half a revolution to bring it back tothe position 63 to movethe tool 7G clear of the blank for the remainder of the return stroke of the arm 62'. After' the tool 70 has moved across the face of the blank on its return stroke, the eccentric' 63 is again rotated through half a revolution to the postion 63 and the cycle commences anewI with the tool arm 62 again travelling'in the direction of the arrow 7 3. i

The eccentric 63 may be rotated by an in# termittent` mechanism similar to that shown in Figuresl 2 and 3 with the exception that the gearing will be so arranged that the ec' centric 63 makes tw'o complete revolutions in one revolution of the crank 68. It will be understood, of course, that the intermittent mechanism Vacts to lock the eccentric against movement after each of the four intermittent half rotations which cause it to complete two revolutions in a cycle ofoperation of the machine. If desired, however, an auxiliary locking ymeans may be employed. After two tooth sides of the blank have been completed, the' blank may' be indexed and the operation proceeds as before, although in this embodiment, as alsoA in the embodiment of Figure 1I', the blank may bey indexed between each suc'- cessivecycle of operation of the tool arms so It will be understood; ofi coarse, that'. the tools 'Z0 andi '71 might bei arranged te@ eut iin opposite.` directions in the. manner' similar toV theYV tools 20` and 21.

Itlis possible tonnake the' tool? armA lai-lateral-v asi shown in Fig.4 5s so. that an additionalv1 of tools 80A and 8l may be provided. These*- tools arel diametrically opposed tothe tools 7 0 and 71 andv may be employed in cutting gears of a. different hand of spiral from the gears to be cut' with the; tools 7() and 171'. Through thisarrangement, the same machine can be used to cut' gears of both right' and'` left handV spiral teeth'.

While i-n both embodiments illustrated,- I have shown theV tools securedfto an oscillating arm which is intermittently shifted to bring the tools alternately into' and out' of' engage ment with opposite side tooth faces of the'i` blank, my invention Amight beemployed, also', in4 a construction where the center abouti which the tools oscillatey is fixed and the tools themselves are mounted' on a slidfeY which' isV shifted radially back. andi forth orr the oscillating arm. Vh'ere such: an embodimentof! my invention is employed, the opposite sidel tooth faces of the blank. can b'e'cut from a conr mon center.

The invention may be: employed in grinding and for roughing ase well as finishing either in a generating or a forming operation;` v

While two embodiments of theinvention have been shown, it will be understood-that the invention is capable of various further modification's and that this application is intended to cover any adaptations, uses, or embodid ments of my invention, following, in general, the principles of the invention andV including such departures from the present disclosure as may come within known' or customary practise in the gear art and as may be applied to theV essential features hereinbefore set forth and as fall within the scope of the invention or the limits of the appended claims;

-Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a machine for producing longitudinally curved tooth gears, a blank support", a tool, means for oscillating; the tool to move it back and' forth in a longitudinally curved' path and means for giving` the tool a relative that' all thel teeth of; the: blank may be: com

movement of engagement and clearance in A a direction substantially perpendicular t'o the direction of its oscillatingnrovement to operater on a sider tooth surfaceof the blank'dnning oscillation of the tool in one directionV nally curved tooth gears, ai blankV support, a air of tools adapted to cutoppositesidetooth faces ofthe blank, means for oscillating said tools to move themback and forth across thel face of the blank and means for giving each of said tools an alternate relative movement of engagement and clearance in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of their oscillating movements to cause each tool to operate on one side face of the blank during its movement in one direction and to clear said face during its movement in the opposite direction.

3. In a machine for producing longitudinally curve-d tooth gears, a blank support, a pair of tools adapted to cut opposite side tooth faces of the blank and arranged to out on movement in opposite directions, means 'for oscillating said tools to move them back and forth across the tace oi the blank, and means for moving said tools simultaneously in opposite directions in a line substantially perpendicular to the path oi the tools to bring the tools alternately into cutting engagement With the respective tooth sides to be cut by said tools and to clear said tooth sides alternately.

4. In a machine for producing longit nally curved tooth gears, a blank support, a tool carrier, a tool support oscillatably mounted on said carrier, a tool mounted on said tool support, means for oscillating said tool support to move the tool in a curved path across the face oi the blank, and means for moving the tool carrier alternately in opposite directions in a line substantially perpendicular to the side tooth surface being cut t bring the tool into cutting engagement with the tooth surface of the blank during oscillation of the, tool support in one direction, and to clear said tool ot' said tooth side on the re turn movement of said tool support.

5. In a machine for producing longitudinally curved tooth gears, a blank support, a tool carrier, a tool support oscillatably mounted on said carrier, a pair of tools mounted on said tool support and adapte-d to operate on opposite side tooth faces of the blank, means for oscillating` said tool support to move the tools across the face et" the blank, and means for shifting said tool carrier back and forth intermittently to cause the tools to engage and clear the tooth sides on which each operate alternately.

G. In a machine for produeine` g longitudinally curved tooth gears, a blank support, a tool carrier,` a tool support oscillatably mounted on said carrier, a pair of tools mounted on said tool support aud ap ted to operate upon opposite side tooth faces of the blank and arranged to cut while moving in opposite directions, means for oscillating` said tool support to Vmove the toolsacross the tace of the blank, and means for moving the tool carrier in opposite directions'to cause the tools to operate upon and clear the tooth sides Which they are adapted, respectively, to cut, alternately, one tool being in cutting engagement While the other tool is clear.

i f Jn.

7. In a machine for producing longitudi nally curved tooth gears, a blank support, a pair of tools adapted to cut opposite side tooth faces of the blank, means for oscillating the tools to cut longitudinally curved tooth faces on the blank and means tor shifting the ani,1 about which said tools oscillate to cause the tools to cut the opposite side tooth faces of the blank alternately from different centers.

t). The method of producing a gear which consis in oscillating a tool to cut longitudinally curved tooth faces on the blank and giving said tool at opposite ends of its stroke a relative bodily movement alternately in opposite directions in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis about which said tool swings so the tool will operate on a side tooth surface of the blank during movement in one direction and clear said tooth surface in its return movement.

9. 'I he method ot producing a gear which ts in imparting an oscillating movement to pair of tools adapted to out opposide 'tooth J[aces ol the blank to cut lontiulinally curved teeth and giving said tools alternately a niovement of engagement and clearance in a direction substantially radial oi' the axis about which the tools swing to move the tools into and out of engagement alternately With the tooth sides cut thereby, one tool being moved into engagement with a tooth side While the other tool is simultaneously being moved away from the opposite tooth side.

l0. The method of producing a gear which consists in imparting an oscillatory movement to a pair oi tools adapted to cut opposite side tooth faces of the blank While moving in opposite directions to cut longitudinally curved teeth on the blank and shifting the axis about which the tools oscillate to give the tools an alternate movement of enga gement and clearance with reference to the tooth sides to he cut thereby, one tool being nieve-1l into engagement with a tooth side of the blank while the other tool is being moved away from the opposite tooth side.

ll. In a machine for producing longitudinally curved tooth gears, a blank support, a tool carrier, a pair of tools mounted on said carrier adapted to cut, respectively, opposite l, tooth "aces et the blank, means for oscilsaid carrier to move the tools in longiltud'nally curved paths, and means for movthe carri r alternately in opposite direc- Aions in a line substantially perpendicular to trie tool paths to move the tools alternately into and out of engagement with the respective tooth sides to be cut thereby.

l2. In a, machine tor producing longitudinally curved tooth gears, a blank support, a pivotally mounted tool carrier, a pair of tools mounted on said carrier adapted to cut, respectively, opposite side tooth faces of the ret.;

lll() Y blank, means for oscillating said carrier about its pivot to move the tools in longitudinally curved paths, and means for moving the pivot about Which the carrier swings alternately in opposite directions in a line substantially radial of said pivot to move the tools alternately into and out of engagement With the respective tooth sides to be cut thereby.

13. In a machine for producing gears, a Work support, a tool having a side cutting edge, means for, reciprocating the tool to impart cutting and return movements thereto, and means for moving the tool transversely of its side cutting edge alternately in opposite directions at opposite ends of its stroke to move the tool alternately to and from cutting position.

14. In a machine for producing gears, a Work support, a tool having a side cutting edge, means for oscillating the tool to impart alternate cutting and return movements thereto, and means for moving the tool transversely of its side cutting edge alternately in opposite directions at opposite ends of its stroke to move the tool alternately to and from cutting position.

15. In a machine for producing gears, a Work support, a pair of tools having side cutting edges adapted to cut opposite side tooth faces of a gear blank, means for reciprocating the tools to impart alternate cutting and return movements thereto, and means for moving the tools bodily together in a direction transverse to their cutting edges alternately in opposite directions at opposite ends of the reciprocating movement to move alternately one tool into cutting position and simultaneously Withdraw the other therefrom.

16. In a machine for producing gears, a Work support, a pair of tools having side cutting edges adapted to cut opposite side tooth faces of a gear blank, means for oscillating the tools to move them in longitudinally curved paths and means for moving the tools bodily together in opposite directions at opposite ends of their oscillatory movement in a direction transverse to their cutting edges to move alternately one tool into cutting position and simultaneously Withdraw the other therefrom.

17. The method of producing a gear which consists in oscillating a tool to move it in a longitudinally curved path and giving said tool a relative bodily movement of engagement and clearance alternately in a direction transverse of its cutting edge to cause it to cut on oscillation in one direction and clear the Work on its return stroke.

18. The method of producing a gear Which consists in oscillating a pair of tools adapted to cut opposite side tooth faces of a gear blank to cause said tools to cut longitudinally curved teeth in the blank and moving said tools bodily together alternately in opposite directions in a direction transverse of their cutting edges tomove the tools alternately to and from cutting position at opposite ends of their oscillating movement.

MAGNUS H. JOHANSON. 

